Toy having detachable central processing unit

ABSTRACT

A toy having a detachable central processing unit is comprised of a central processing unit with a built-in growth algorithm for having the toy grow, a driving unit for exhibiting action according to growth or outputting an audio information and a link unit for linking the central processing unit and the driving unit. Therefore, in case of using just the central processing unit, the toy with which the toy can grow or to which application programs are installed using the cyber character so as to utilize as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), mobile phone and a computer for home-use. Also, in case the toy is combined with the central processing unit, it can perform more improved actions thus to give a variety of learning chances and attract a variety of interest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] b 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a learning/growing toy andparticularly, to a toy having a detachable central processing unit withwhich the toy can grow or to which application programs are installed toutilize as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), mobile phone and acomputer for home-use and a toy which shows more improved operation incase it is combined with the central processing unit.

[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art

[0004] Generally, learning/growing toy is an intelligent toy having aprogram which can reacts to a user's command using a remote controlcommand and voice recognizing art have a toy grow by learning for acertain time. For example, such toy has a program that if it learnsthrough a command of user's voice, sound, light and contact, itinteracts to them. Namely, the learning/growing toy has a program thatmake the toy react to learning by a user so that it grows intelligentlyand functionally.

[0005] Here, the toy can grow according to a user's learning by having abody unit for implementing motion and outputting the audio informationand a central processing unit for determining action of the toy andcontrolling respective apparatus of the toy.

[0006] However, the central processing unit is fixed in the body of thetoy and accordingly, the toy has a disadvantage that the user shouldalways carry the toy to have the toy learn or grow.

[0007] Also, since the toy is characterized that it exhibits variableactions according to the self-control determination, CPU of high-levelperformance and huge storage capacity is necessary to control respectiveapparatuses which compose the toy. Therefore, to compose hardware of theabove toy requires a high cost. However, the central processing unit canbe used as a simple usage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toyhaving a detachable central processing unit, which can have the toy growin case of using the central processing unit only or to whichapplication programs are installed to utilize as a Personal DigitalAssistant (PDA), mobile phone and a computer for home-use and a toywhich shows more improved operation.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a toyhaving a detachable central processing unit, which is composed so thatthe toy can perform more improved actions thus to give a variety oflearning chances and attract a variety of interest.

[0010] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly describedherein, there is provided a toy having a detachable central processingunit which is comprised of a toy which grows by receiving experience bylearning of a user and a central processing unit which is separable fromthe toy.

[0011] Also, there is provided a toy having a detachable centralprocessing unit which is comprised the steps of initializing the mainboard in the central processing unit by inputting power, questioningwith the Digital Signal Processing Unit (DSPU) to determine whether thedriving unit is combined, switching to a self-control growth mode incase the driving unit is combined, initializing the motion controlroutine of the Digital Signal Processing Unit, vision processor and theaudio codec and operating the self-control growth mode stored in theflash memory.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantagesof the present invention will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide afurther understanding of the invention and are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of theinvention and together with the description serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

[0014] In the drawings:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the interaction of respectivecomponents in accordance with the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the toy inaccordance with the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing actions for determining of thelearning mode in accordance with the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control signal in case ofthe self-control growth mode according to the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control signal in case ofthe separate growth mode in accordance with the present invention.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a table showing growth steps in case of the self-controlgrowth mode in accordance with the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 7 is a table showing growth steps in case of the separategrowth mode in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodimentsof the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

[0023]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the interaction of respectivecomponents in accordance with the present invention. As shown in thedrawing, the toy is comprised of a toy which grows by receivingexperience by learning of a user, a central processing unit 120 which isseparable from the toy, a driving unit 110 for exhibiting actionaccording to growth or outputting an audio information and a link unitfor linking the central processing unit 120 and the driving unit 110.

[0024] Here, the central processing unit 120 is comprised of amicrophone 125 for inputting and outputting the audio information, aspeaker 126, audio codec 121 for processing the audio signal inputtedand outputted from the microphone 125 and speaker 126, flash memory 122for storing the operating/application program and learning information,RAM 124 for reading and writing information stored from learning, LCDscreen and touch panel 127 for outputting the function selection and thelearned information of the character and a microprocessor 123 fortransmitting a certain motion command to the driving unit.

[0025] The driving unit 110 is comprised of a motor 113, a motor drive112 for driving the motor 113, vision processor 116 for capturing andstoring a vision in a buffer, flash ROM 114, potentiometer 117, sensor115 for sensing an outside stimulation and a Digital Signal ProcessingUnit (DSPU) 111 for decoding a command for implementing a certain motionand transmitting to the motor drive 112.

[0026] The link unit is comprised of physical link means such as the I/OBUS, USB and the RS-232C.

[0027] At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the link unit can be comprisedof the wireless link means. The Wireless link means are connected bymounting wireless module such as the Bluetooth chip or RF modem in thecentral processing unit 120 and the driving unit 110 respectively.

[0028] The method for driving the toy having a detachable centralprocessing unit will be described as follows.

[0029] The first step of driving the toy in case of the self-controlmode is to operate the program stored at the flash memory 122 from thecentral processing unit 120 and then learned contents operated by theLCD screen and the touch panel 127 are stored in the flash memory 122.The microprocessor 123 transmits a certain motion command to the drivingunit 110 reflecting the learned contents. At this time, themicroprocessor 123 and the driving unit 110 are connected by thephysical link means or wireless link means. Later, if the motion commandis transmitted to the driving unit 110 reflecting the learned contentsin case of implementing the certain motion according to the learning,the driving unit 110 decodes the command for implementing the certainmotion and drives the motor 113 by transmitting it to the motor drive112.

[0030] Here, the central processing unit 120 includes a growth algorithmand can be operated as a separate growth mode separated from the toy.Therefore, the cyber character which exists in the central processingunit 120 can grow. Also, the central processing unit 120 can be used asan apparatus having communicating functions, such as a PDA, mobilephone, computer for home-use by adding an application program to thecentral processing apparatus 123 in case of the separate growth mode.

[0031] Namely, the toy operates a corresponding learning determining theselfcontrol growth mode or separate growth mode according to whether thecentral processing unit 120 is mounted or detached to the toy andaccording to the learning extent, the toy exhibits a motion and outputsthe audio information.

[0032]FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing actions for determining of thelearning mode in accordance with the present invention and as shown inthe drawing the operation of the toy is comprised the steps ofinitializing the main board in the central processing unit 120 byinputting power ST10, questioning with the DSPU to determine whether thedriving unit 110 is combined ST11, ST12 and ST13, switching to aself-control growth mode in case the driving unit 110 is combined ST14,initializing the motion control routine of the DSPU, vision processorand the audio codec ST15, ST16 and ST17, and operating the self-controlgrowth mode stored in the flash memory ST18 thus to improve the actionaccording to the learning of a user.

[0033] Here, if the driving unit 110 is not combined, the toy whereinthe operation comprises the steps of switching to the separate growthmode ST19, exhibiting a graphic user interface on the surface of the LCDscreen built-in type touch panel 127 ST20, operating the software of theseparate growth mode stored in the flash memory 122 ST21, and having thecyber character study by an input of a user and outputting the voiceinformation ST22 thus to have the cyber character learn which exist inthe central processing unit 120.

[0034]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control signal in case ofthe self-control growth mode according to the present invention and asshown in the drawing, in case the user has the cyber character learn acertain motion/voice using the LCD screen and touch panel 127, themicroprocessor 123 outputs a certain voice/sound at the speaker 126 bytransmitting a voice/sound generation command to the audio codec 121.The DSPU 111 received an input of a certain motion generation commandfrom the microprocessor 123 controls the motor drive 112 andaccordingly, by performing the corresponding motor among a number ofmotors, the microprocessor implements the certain motion. Therefore, thetoy in accordance with the self-control mode shows manner and walking byreceiving information inputted from the posture/manner generation unitand then performing the motor, outputs the audio information byreceiving information inputted from the voice/sound generation unit andperforms vision tracking of a substance by receiving informationinputted from the input unit of a camera.

[0035]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control signal in case ofthe separate growth mode in accordance with the present invention and asshown in the drawing, if the user inputs a certain function using theLCD screen built-in type touch panel, for example, learning, play, meal,excretion and sleep, the microprocessor 123 outputs the voice/soundgeneration command corresponding to the currently inputted function tothe audio codec 121. Accordingly, the microprocessor 123 outputs thevoice/sound generated by the audio codec virtually exhibiting the actionof the cyber character according to the inputted content on the LCDscreen and touch panel 127 and also stores the growth informationaccording to learning in the flash memory 122.

[0036] The growth style of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is an example implementinga life in the real world and FIG. 6 is a table showing growth steps incase of the self-control growth mode in accordance with the presentinvention. As shown in the drawing, the toy exhibits a motion andoutputs the voice information according to the growth period and growthstep. Also, FIG. 7 is a table showing growth steps in case of theseparate growth mode in accordance with the present invention and asshown in the drawing, the cyber character exhibits the actions virtuallyon the LCD screen and touch panel according to the growth period andgrowth step and outputs the voice information.

[0037] As apparent from above description in detail, by having adetachable central processing unit 120 and driving unit 110, the presentinvention can be used to have a cyber character learn a certain motionor voice in the condition of carrying the central processing unit 120apart from the toy. Also, in case of connecting the central processingunit and the driving unit, the toy can perform more improved actionsthus to give a variety of learning chances and attract a variety ofinterest.

[0038] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A toy having a detachable central processing unitcomprising: a toy which grows by receiving experience by learning of auser; and a central processing unit which is separable from the toy. 2.The toy of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit comprises amicroprocessor, RAM, flash memory, audio codec, microphone, speaker andan LCD screen and touch panel.
 3. The toy of claim 1, further has adriving unit for exhibiting action according to growth or outputting anaudio information.
 4. The toy of claim 3, wherein the driving unitcomprises a digital signal processing, motor actuator, flash ROM, visionprocessor, sensor, motor and a potentiometer.
 5. The toy of claims 3 and4, wherein the toy further has a link unit for linking the centralprocessing unit and the driving unit.
 6. The toy of claim 5, wherein thelink unit comprises physical link means such as the I/O BUS, USB and theRS-232C.
 7. The toy of claim 5, wherein the link unit comprises awireless link means.
 8. The toy of claim 7, wherein the wireless linkmeans is actuated by installing wireless module such as a Bluetooth chipor a RF modem in the central processing unit and the driving unit. 9.The toy of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit has a growthalgorithm inserted and a separate growth mode for having a cybercharacter in the central processing unit grow.
 10. The toy of claim 9,wherein the central processing unit is added by an application programin the central processing unit in case of the separate growth mode sothat the toy is used as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), mobile phoneand a computer for home-use.
 11. The operation method of the toy havingdetachable central processing unit comprises the steps of: initializingthe main board in the central processing unit by inputting power;questioning with the Digital Signal Processing Unit (DSPU) equipped inthe driving unit to determine whether the driving unit is combined;switching to a self-control growth mode in case the driving unit iscombined; initializing the motion control routine of the Digital SignalProcessing Unit, vision processor and the audio codec; and operating theself-control growth mode stored in the flash memory.
 12. The operationmethod of claim 11, in case the driving unit is not combined, comprisingthe steps of: switching to the separate growth mode; exhibiting agraphic user interface on the surface of the LCD screen built-in typetouch panel; operating the software of the separate growth mode storedin the flash memory; and having the cyber character study by an input ofa user and outputting the voice information.
 13. The method of claim 11,according to the self-control growth mode shows manner and walking byreceiving information inputted from the posture/manner generation unit,outputs the audio information by receiving information inputted from thevoice/sound generation unit and performs vision tracking of a substanceby receiving information inputted from the input unit of a camera. 14.The method of claim 12, wherein the central processing unit according tothe separate growth mode outputs the audio information by receivinginformation inputted from the voice/sound generation unit and exhibitsthe action of the cyber character on the LCD built-in type touch panel.15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user input is operated byinputting the items of learning, play, meal, excretion and sleep on theLCD screen built-in type touch panel.
 16. The method of claim 11,wherein the toy exhibits main actions according to the growth period andgrowth step.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the cyber characterexhibits the main actions according to the growth period and growthstep.